Lightweight, conformal, wideband airframe antenna

Abstract

A conformal antenna comprising: an electrically neutral airframe; metalized fabric covering said airframe; and transmission lines attached to said metalized fabric to connect to a transceiver.

1 . A conformal antenna comprising:
 an electrically neutral airframe;   metalized fabric covering said airframe; and   transmission lines attached to said metalized fabric to connect to a transceiver.   
   
   
       2 . A conformal antenna as described in  claim 1  wherein the metalized fabric is coated with a resin for strength. 
   
   
       3 . The coating described in  claim 2  is from a group of resins that includes, but is not limited to: polyester, ester, cyanate ester or similar resins. 
   
   
       4 . A conformal antenna as described in  claim 1  wherein the airframe comprises of a left wing and a right wing;
 the metalized fabric is affixed to the top and bottom of said right wing and said left wing with a separation between the said two wings formed by a fuselage;   a transmission line attached to the metalized fabric affixed to said left wing and a transmission line attached to the metalized fabric affixed to said right wing; and   the transmission line attached to the metalized fabric on said left wing is connected to a transceiver as is the transmission line attached to the metalized fabric on said right wing is connected to a transceiver forming a dipole antenna.   
   
   
       5 . A conformal antenna as described in  claim 1  wherein the airframe is a vertical stabilizer;
 the metalized fabric is affixed to the upper portion and both sides of said vertical stabilizer, said metalized fabric on the upper portion of said vertical stabilizer acts as an antenna;   a conductor to transmission lines attached to said metalized fabric attached to upper portion of said stabilizer;   a second section of metalized fabric affixed to both sides of the lower portion of said vertical stabilizer; and   a second conductor attached to said second section of metalized fabric, said lower section acts as a ground plane.   
   
   
       6 . A conformal antenna as described in  claim 1  wherein the airframe is a vertical stabilizer and a horizontal stabilizer;
 metalized fabric is attached to both sides of the vertical stabilizer;   a transmission line is attached to said metalized fabric attached to said vertical stabilizer;   said transmission line is attached to a transceiver;   metalized fabric is attached to the upper and lower surfaces of said horizontal stabilizer;   a transmission line is attached to said metalized fabric attached to said horizontal stabilizer;   said transmission line is attached to a transceiver; and   the resulting structure forms an antenna and ground plane.   
   
   
       7 . A conformal antenna as described in  claim 1  wherein the airframe is comprised of a left wing, a right wing and a fuselage;
 metalized fabric is affixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the inboard portion of the left wing and the right wing;   a transmission line is connected to the metalized fabric on the inner portion of the left wing, the fuselage acts as a non-conductive gap between said metalized fabric on the inboard portion of the left wing and the right wing;   a transmission line is connected to the metalized fabric on the inner portion of the right wing;   said transmission lines attached to the metalized fabric on the inner portion of the left wing and the metalized fabric on the inner portion of the right wing are attached to a transceiver;   a non-conductive gap is positioned adjacent to each of the metalized fabric sections attached to the inboard portion of the left wing and the right wing; and   adjacent to the non-conductive gap, metalized fabric is affixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the outboard portion of the left wing and the right wing forming a segmented dipole antenna.